Groot and Rocket Raccoon Visual Effects

“Guardians of the Galaxy” hits theaters Friday and is expected to have a huge $70 million-plus opening weekend.

While Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, and Dave Bautista star, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper will lend their voices to two scene-stealing characters, a larger than life, tree-like creature Groot and feisty raccoon Rocket.

You’ll see the two in the film like this:

Marvel/DisneyJay Maidment/Marvel

However, behind-the-scenes here’s how Groot and Rocket actually look while filming:

Polish actor Krystian Godlewski wore a motion capture suit to give the physical cues for Groot and provide a model for actors to look at while filming.

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Yes, that is a bust of Groot’s head atop a motion-capture suit.

Jay Maidment/MarvelDirector James Gunn (left) with his brother Sean Gunn on set. Marvel

Director James Gunn’s brother Sean filled in for Rocket Racoon.

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You can also spot Sean Gunn in the film as Kraglin, the sidekick to Michael Rooker’s character Yondu.

In the film’s production notes, executive producer Nik Korda explains how the duo’s motion capture performances helps the final CG versions of the characters come together.

“It’s very important for the animators to see a real-life person performing in the right lighting environment, on the right set, to see how they move, their reach, and so on,” Korda says. “Even though it is Sean down on his haunches, it gives us all a sense of the attitude, and Krystian gives us a sense of Groot’s lumbering movements, which help create the animated performance.”

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Special effects makeup designer David White also made two life-size versions of Rocket Raccoon along with a bust of Groot as aids for visual effects and lighting.

“The reason the filmmakers wanted these is because they take them onto the set and they put them in little chairs and they put them next to the doors and it gives them a good indication of where visual effects needs to pick up and whether Rocket can actually reach certain things or use certain devices,” White says. “Also they offer them up to the camera at the end of the shot and it just gives them an extra little hint of the lighting because they’re actually painted exactly as they want.”

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